Temperature regulator



May 8. 1928.

J. v. GIESLER TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Jan. 14, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 1gwmni'ot- 37% UN ii/ L J KUL NW C JiW-JA M Sm: n 4,

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 NAN J. v. GlESLER TEMPERATURE REGULATOR Filed Jan. 14,1926 May 8, 1928.

Patented May s, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEAN "V. GIESLEB, F KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, ASSIGNOR, BY HESNEASSIGNMENTS,

T0 THE IULTON SYLPHON COMPANY, OF KNOXVILLE, TENNESSEE, A. CORPORA- TIONornnmwiuan.

TEMPERATURE REGULATOR.

Application filed anuar 14,1926. Serial No. 81,317. 1

This invention relates to temperature regulators designed to control thetemperature of open vats, hotwater tanks, dryers, dryrooms, warmingovens, cold storage rooms, swimming pools, etc., and has for its objectto effect certain improvements in regulators of this character asheretofore constructed, to the end that they may be made at less cost, Imore readily installed in a variety of situations by unskilled labor,and less liable to get out of order. I With these objects in view, theinvention consists in the construction and combination of elementshereinafter described P and then defined in the claims, reference towhich is had for the purpose of defining the scope of the invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated intheaccompanying drawings, in which- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of one formof the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a sectional view showingthe in- 25 vention applied to an air ductwhose temperature is to becontrolled; and

Fig. 4 is a view in elevation showing the invention applied to an openvat.

Referring to the drawings, in which like characters indicate like partsthroughout the several views, and first referring to Figs. 1

and 2, 5 is a suitable rigid support having a spider 6 suitably securedthereon as by screws 7, 7, and 8 is the flexible wall of an 35expansible and collapsible vessel having a rigid end wall 9, secured tothe spider, and a movable end wall 10 within the spider. A suitable stop11, here shown in the form of a tube secured to the stationary end wall9, is provided to limit the collapsing movement of the vessel 8. Themovable end wall 10 has a reent'orcing plate 12 centrally securedthereto, and projecting from said plate is atubular. extension 13. Therigid support 5 is provided with an interiorly threaded boss 14 intowhich extension or connecting .element 15, here shown as in the form ofa pipe. This pipe may be of any desired length, and at its other end isscrew-threaded into a central opening in a yoke 16. Within certainlimits the distance between the rigid support 5 and the yoke 16 can beadjusted by the screw-thread connections of the pipe 15 is screwed an'with said elements, and such adjustments securely maintained by means ofthe locknuts 14', 16. Ad ustments of the distance between said rigidsupport and yoke beyond in spaced relation to the yoke 16, as by meansof bolts 18, 18, and tubes 19,said bolts bemg secured to the frame 17 inany suitable manner, as by screw-threads '20, and nuts 21 being threadedon the ends of the bolts which pass through the yoke, as clearly shownin Fig. 1. A valve 22, of any suitable construction, is attached to theframe 17 by means of the bonnet threads 23 and lock-nut 24. TheValve-stem 25 engages a plunger 26 and is maintained in fixed relationthereto by means of a lock-nut 27 screwthreaded on the valve-stem 25..The plunger 26 is attached, in any suitable manner, as by screw-threads,to a spring-abutment plate 28 which receives one end of a spring 29,-theother end of said spring engaging an adjusting nut 30 having ascrew-threaded engagement with a guide tube 31 through which thestem-like plunger 26 passes. This guide tube 31 is provided with ashoulder 32, here shown in the form of a nut screwthrcaded thereon,which shoulder abuts against the frame 17, and said guide tube isprevented from rotating by means of a setscrew 33. The adjusting nut 30can be rotated, as by means of a spanner engaging the openings 34, 34therein, and the tension of the spring 29 against the late 28 is therebyadjusted so that any pre etermined force within the limits of the springmay be applied. to said spring plate. This spring plate is provided withan annular boss 28' which.

telescopes within the pipe 15, and a thrust rod 35 extends from thetubular boss 13 on the thrust plate 12 through the pipe 15 and entersthe tubular boss 28 on the spring plate 28, so that the force caused byvapor tension within the flexible wall 8 may be transmitted through thethrust rod 35 to the spring plate 28, and in-turn through the plunger 26to the valve stem 25, and hence to loo the valve member which controlsthe opening through the valve. it will be understood, of course, thatthe expansible and collapsible vessel provided by the flexible wall 8 issuppied with some suitable thermosensitive fluid through an opening 36which is suitably sealed, as with a cork 37 and solder 38.

Assume that the adjusting nut 30 is ad- 10 justed to a predeterminedposition so that the spring exerts a predetermined force on the movableend wall 10 of the vessel 8. iVhen the temperature has changedsulficiently, the vapor pressure acts so that the force on the movablewall 10 just counterbalances. the force exerted by the spring. Let it beassumed that this is the desired normal position of the parts. Uponfurther change in temperature, the force exerted b the vapor pressurewill vary with suc change in temperature. It the temperature beincreased, the force exerted by the vapor pressure will overcome theforce exerted by the spring and impart longitudinal movement to thevalve stem 25 so that the opencause corresponding changes in vaporpressure and corresponding longitudinal movement to the valve stem andthus vary the opening controlling the flow of temperature modifyingmedium in'such manner that the temperature surrounding the flexible wallwill be maintained at a practically constant value.

It will be seen trom the construction as thus far described, and asillustrated in Fi 40 1 and 2, that the valve stem constitutes t e meanswhereby the thrust of the vessel 8 or the counter-thrust of the spring29 is transmitted to the valve to efiect its movement. Any suitablemeans of transmitting these thrusts will be within the spirit of theinvention. In some conditions of use, the construction shown in Figs. 1and 2 would preferably be employed, as for example, where a tank,containing a liquid the temperature so of which it is desired tomaintain approximately constant,-and the source of temperature varyingfluid, as a steam pipe, can be brought into approximately closejuxtaposition. in other cases, however, where the 55 temperaturecontrolling medium is more or less remote from the tank, or room, or vatwhose temperature is to be controlled, a suitable flexiblethrust-transmitting extension such, for example, as that described in sol]. S, Patent.l,523,950, may be employed.

Such an extension is shown. in Fig. 3 hereof. lln saidfigure, 38 is aframe within which is mounted a flexible wall 39 of an expansible andcollapsible vessel having a movable e43 endwall l0 and a fixed end wall41 secured in said frame by means of a tubular extension 42 extendingthrough an opening in the frame and held in position by a nut 43provided \vitha flared mouth or opening as shown. The fixed end wall 41has a tubular extension 44 telescoping into a tubular stop 45 on themovable end wall 40, ports 46 affording communication between saidtubular stop 45 and the interior of the vessel. A flexible conduitextends from the tubular extension 44 into and through a nut 47 andcommunicates with a tubular extension 48 on a fixed wall 49 of anexpansible and collapsible vessel 50 having a movable end wall 51, thewhole being carried in a frame 52, all as described in connection withthe flexible wall 39 and its mounting 38.

Each of the movable end walls 40 and 51 is provided with T-shapedcoupling memhers exterior of said walls which are engaged by socketpieces 53,- 53'. The socket piece 53 is coupled to the thrust rod orplunger 26 in any suitable manner as by screw-threads and a cotter pin54, and the valve stem 25 is coupled to the member 53 in a similar orany other suitable fashion.

The flexible vessels 39 and 50 and the flexible conduit connecting thesame are filled with a non-compressible liquid, and any compression inthe vessel 39 due to the expansion of the flexible vessel 8 will betransmitted through the flexible tube to the flexible vessel 50 whichwill be expanded thereby, thus effecting the movement of the valve stem25 and the valve, precisely as such movement is ellected by the thrustrod or plunger 26 when directly connected to said valve stem.

This connecting unit between the thrust rod or plunger 26 andthe valvestem in and of itself is substantially that of Fulton Patcnt No.1,523,950, above referred to, and since the specific constructionthereof forms no part of the present invention it need no i be furtherdescribed. I

It will be seen that by the employment of such connecting unit as thatillustrated in Fig. 3, the thermo-sensitive vessel 8 maybe placed in anysuitable position within a room or chamber or tank, and the valve 22connected to the conduit carrying the temperature controlling medium atany suitable location, even though the same may be at some remote pointtherefrom. Such a construe tion is illustrated in Fi 3, in which 55 isan air duct or flue throng which a heating or a coolin medium is forced,and meansare provide for mounting the flexible temperature-affected wall8 in said flue. For this urpose, an openin 56 is made in the wall oi t eflue 55. Such flees are frequently made of thin sheet metal as hereshowmand for the purpose of recnforcing said metal a flange. 57 isriveted around the opening 56 and a cap 58 is bolted to said flange,said ill) llli

cap havinga central opening 59 therethroughthrough which the pipe 17extends and in which it is secured b any suitable means, as byaset-screw 60. {3y this means the device may be readily mounted with thetemperature-sensitive vessel 8 within the flue or duct, and theremaining parts properly supported, and all without in any wa changingthe efl'ective operation of the evice as described in connection withFigs. 1 and 2. A mounting for the latter structure is illustrated by wayof example in Fig. 4 wherein the valve 22 is mounted directly in the ipe61, conveying the heating or other me ium into the tank 62, the wholestructure being supported by pipe i 1, with the thermosensitive vessel-8 mounted in the liquid in the open tank 62 to any desired depth, whichdepth can be controlled by the length of the pipe 15.

It will thus be seen that there is provided by the present invention anextremely simple structure of this class which can be cheaplymanufactured, and readily and accurately mounted in position byunskilled laborconditions which are of marked importance in the initialcost of the structure, as well as in the cost of installation andmaintenance.

What is claimed is 1. In a device of the character described, thecombination of a rigid support, a spider mounted thereon, athermosensitive ex ansible and collapsible vessel having a rigld endwall secured to said spider and a movable end wall within said spider, apipe adjustably secured at one end to said rigid support, a yoke towhich said pipe is adjustably secured at the other end, a frame, meansse curing said yoke and frame together in spaced relation, an exteriorlythreaded adjusting tube secured to said frame and extending toward saidyoke, a nut on said tube, a spring-plate having a part telescoping withsaid pipe, a spring reacting between said nut and spring-plate, a rodextending through said pipe and connecting said movable end wall andsaid spring-plate, a plungerextending through said adjusting tube andconnected to said spring-plate, a valve, and operative connectionsbetween said plunger and valve.

2. In a device of the character described, the combination of a rigidsupport, a spider mounted thereon, a thermosensltive expansible andcollapsible vessel having'one movable and one immovable end wall andmounted in said spider, a spring tending to collapse said vessel, aframe in which said spring is mounted, a tubular support connected atits opposite ends to said rigid support and. said frame and spacing saidrigid support from said frame, a valve, and operative connectionsbetween said thermosensitive vessel and valve and between the latter andsaid spring.

3. In a device of the character described, the combination of a support,a thermosensitive vessel having a rigid end wall fixedly connected tosaid support and a movable end wall, a frame, a valve, operativeconnections between said valve and vessel, a spring operativelyconnected to said valve and vessel and carried by said frame, and atubular connection spacing said frame from said support thrgugh whichsaid operative connections exten 4. In a device of the characterdescribed, the combination of a support, a thermosensitive vessel-havinga rigid end wall fixedly connected to said support and a movable endwall, a frame, a tubular connection between said support and frame andspacing said support from saidframe, a rod connected to said movable endwall and extending through said tubular connection into said frame, avalve, a valve stem, and a spring in said frame and operativelyconnected to said rod and valve stem.

5. In a device of the character described, the combination of duct, arigid supportin said duct, a thermosensitive vessel having a movablewall and mounted on said support, a yoke, an adjustable tubularconnection between said support and yoke, -a frame of which said yokeforms one. member, a spring carried by said frame, a thrust rod betweensaid movable end wall and spring and extending through said tubularconnection, a plunger in operative relation with said spring and thrustrod, a valve, and operative connections between said. valve and plunger.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification.

JEAN V. GIESLER.

